Written Answers Thursday 25 May 2006

Scottish Executive

Credit Unions

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will exempt debt owed to credit unions from protected trust deeds.

Allan Wilson: The Executive intends to reform protected trust deeds so that they offer better value for all creditors, including credit unions. There is therefore no plan to prevent debtors with loans from credit unions obtaining debt relief through a protected trust deed.

Debt Arrangement Scheme

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering amending the Debt Arrangement Scheme to allow (a) the interest on debts to be frozen and (b) composition of debt and, if so, when these measures will be implemented.

Allan Wilson: The Executive undertook to review the Debt Arrangement Scheme one year after implementation. The information gathering phase of the review was completed at the end of January 2006, and we are considering various amendments to the scheme.

  One possible amendment is the introduction of debt relief. Different ways of delivering debt relief are therefore under consideration, and they include both freezing of interest and composition of debts.

  The issue of implementation does not arise as a decision has yet to be made on including any form of debt relief in the scheme.

Dentistry

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what sanctions can be applied to dental practices that levy a charge on NHS patients for dental check-ups.

Lewis Macdonald: No dentist whose name appears on an NHS board dental list and who has accepted a patient for care and treatment under NHS general dental services (GDS) may charge that patient a fee for a dental examination. To do so would breach their GDS terms of service. The NHS disciplinary routes open to NHS boards are referral of dentists to an NHS Discipline Committee or the NHS Tribunal, depending on the seriousness of the relevant action or actions. Where an NHS Discipline Committee finds a dentist in breach of the GDS terms of service, it may recommend that a withholding be made from the dentist’s remuneration or that a warning be given to the dentist that he or she should comply more closely with the terms of service. The sanctions open to the NHS tribunal are national disqualification which means that the dentist’s name may not appear on any dental list in Scotland and conditional disqualification which means that the dentist may continue to be listed but must act in accordance with conditions laid down by the tribunal.

Education

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the capacity threshold used by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) and other authorities in relation to the viability of rural schools is 60%; if so, what the status is of this figure, what its origins were, what criteria were used in determining it and whether there are any plans to abolish or review this threshold.

Peter Peacock: In 1995, the Accounts Commission published Room for Learning – Managing Surplus Capacity in School Buildings.  One of its focuses was on assessing the potential for rationalisation of schools which were less than 60% occupied. At no time though has the commission, HMIE, or the Executive suggested that this particular figure should determine the viability of any school. Indeed in its annual publication of performance indicators comparing Scottish councils, the Accounts Commission shows school occupancy levels in five bands above and below 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%.

  In September 2004, the Scottish Executive issued circular 2-2004 Additional Guidance on Local Authority Proposals for the School Estate, Including School Closures. Significant under occupancy of buildings is mentioned as only one of various reasons which might prompt an authority to consider a school’s future. The circular emphasises the many factors which authorities should take into account before reaching a decision.

Education

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many physical education teacher training places have been secured with teacher training institutions for 2006-07.

Peter Peacock: The Universities which offer the one year Professional Graduate Diploma in Physical Education have set a combined target of 77 places in 2006-07.

  The four year Bachelor of Education degree course in physical education continues to have a target intake allocation of 100 places each year.

Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimates are of the (a) number of businesses eligible for and (b) percentage of eligible businesses claiming relief from the small business rate relief scheme and (i) how and (ii) when these estimates were prepared.

Mr Tom McCabe: At April 2005, figures provided by the Scottish Assessors show that there were 137,934 non-domestic subjects on the valuation rolls for Scotland eligible to claim Small Business Rate Relief. At 30 September 2005, figures provided by councils to the Scottish Executive on the number of eligible subjects claiming relief (excluding Angus and South Ayrshire Councils who have still to provide final figures) show that 119,639 subjects were claiming relief. Excluding Angus and South Ayrshire from the total number of subjects, the resulting percentage is 91 per cent.

Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor the take-up of the small business rate relief scheme.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Small Business Rates Relief Scheme has been regularly monitored since the introduction of the scheme on 1 April 2003. Councils are required annually to return information on the scheme to the Executive giving details including all gross rates relief granted by valuation banding. The scheme was also independently evaluated for the Executive in 2004 by DTZ Pieda Consulting and the report published (available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/12/20357/47854 ).

Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to ensure maximum take-up of the small business rate relief scheme.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive publishes a targeted annual leaflet about the scheme for ratepayers, which is distributed through local authorities. This information is also available electronically through the local taxation pages of the Scottish Executive website.

Ferry Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet Western Ferries to discuss the reasons for its withdrawal from the tendering process for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

Tavish Scott: We would be interested to learn of Western Ferries’ specific reasons for their decision.

Ferry Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Ferry Services whether it maintains the position that the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services should be tendered for as a bundle and whether it is committed to ensuring that they remain as a bundle.

Tavish Scott: Yes.

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22875 by Mr Tom McCabe on 17 March 2006, how many times each First Minister has met the Prime Minister since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that the present First Minister and his predecessors met formally with the Prime Minister on twenty one occasions since 1999. They have also met informally and spoken by telephone on numerous other occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22876 by Mr Tom McCabe on 17 March 2006, how many times each First Minister has met the Secretary of State for Scotland since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that the present First Minister and his predecessors met formally with the Secretary of State for Scotland on forty-four occasions since 1999. They have also met informally and spoken by telephone on numerous other occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

First Minister

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times each First Minister has met the Chancellor of the Exchequer since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our records show that the present First Minister and his predecessors formally met the Chancellor of the Exchequer on seven occasions since 1999. They have also met informally and spoken by telephone on numerous other occasions, details of which are not recorded centrally.

Fisheries

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when an announcement will be made anent the award of a contract for the building of a vessel for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) has decided to terminate this tender process. In the final stages of the tender concerns were raised over clarification of bids. The Chief Executive of the SFPA appointed independent consultants to review that process and concluded from their report that the procurement should be halted.

  The Chief Executive has issued a comprehensive statement on this matter, a copy of which is on the SFPA website along with a copy of the independent consultants report.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to prevent venous thromboembolism in hospital patients and whether NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will produce guidelines in respect of venous thromboembolism.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) produced a guideline (No 62) on Prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism in October 2002. This is now due for review, but the consensus is that its recommendations are not significantly affected by new evidence. SIGN has also produced a number of other guidelines relevant to venous thromboembolism (VTE): Anti Thrombotic Therapy (March 1999) and Drug Therapy for Peripheral Vascular Disease  (July 1998). Both are currently under review and their recommendations are being updated. Prevention of VTE is covered by a number of other Guidelines, in particular Prevention and Management of Hip Fracture in Older People (January 2002, due for review).

  Implementation of these guidelines is helping to prevent VTE in hospital patients throughout Scotland.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital patients have venous thrombosis; what percentage of patients receive appropriate prevention treatment, and what action is being taken to educate hospital staff on the extent of venous thromboembolism.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is not possible, from centrally held hospital discharge records, to identify explicitly patients who acquired venous thrombosis whilst in hospital. The figures given in the table describe the number of patients in Scotland discharged from hospital with a main or secondary condition of venous thrombosis. These figures will include people who acquire venous thrombosis in hospital but may also include patients admitted with venous thrombosis.

  Acute Hospital (Non-Obstetric, Non-Psychiatric) In-Patient/Day Case Discharges with any Diagnosis of Venous Thrombosis (Years Ending 31 March 2001 to 2005)

  

 2001
 7,047


 2002
 6,869


 2003
 6,886


 2004
 6,421


 2005
 6,069



  Source: ISD. The data relate to the following International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD10) codes:

  GO8.X: Intracranial and intraspinal phlebitis and thrombophlebitis.

  126: Pulmonary Embolism.

  163.6: Cereb infarct due cerebral venous thrombosi, nonpyogenic.

  167.6: Nonpyogenic thrombosis of intracranial venous system.

  180: Phlebitis and thrombophlebitis.

  181: Portal vein thrombosis.

  182.2: Embolism and thrombosis of vena cava.

  182.3: Embolism and thrombosis of renal vein.

  182.8: Embolism and thrombosis of other specified veins.

  182.9: Embolism and thrombosis of unspecified vein.

  K75.1: Phlebitis of portal vein.

  O22.2: Superficial thrombophlebitis in pregnancy.

  O22.3: Deep phlebothrombosis in pregnancy.

  O22.5: Cerebral venous thrombosis in pregnancy.

  O87.0: Superficial thrombophlebitis in the puerperium.

  O87.1: Deep phlebothrombosis in the puerperium.

  O87.3: Cerebral venous thrombosis in the puerperium.

  Data on the percentage of patients receiving appropriate prevention treatment is not held centrally. The Scottish Surveillance of HAI Programme (SSHAIP), a national audit of surgical site infection, does, however, include data on the number of orthopaedic patients receiving prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism (VTE), in accordance with SIGN Guideline 62. The SSHAIP data show that 91% of such patients receive prophylaxis. This can be regarded as indicative of coverage in orthopaedic patients in general, a group particularly at risk of VTE.

  In addition, maternity units in Scotland are working to local protocols for VTE, covering both prophylaxis and treatment, based on guidelines from the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and SIGN Guideline 62.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland intends to carry out an exercise taking stock of all the initiatives in place in NHSScotland across different clinical specialties aimed at preventing VTE. The results will help to determine how best to raise awareness amongst hospital staff.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider bringing forward the implementation date of the requirement to supply free tap water on request under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

George Lyon: The provision of free tap water is a mandatory condition of the new premises licence introduced by the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. Its implementation is therefore tied to the implementation of the new licence and we have no plans to bring that date forward. I understand a number of licence holders already offer free tap water and would encourage all premises to adopt such a policy in an effort to encourage sensible drinking.

Older People

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide mainstream funding for the Caledonian Virtual Practice Development College as part of its overall strategy to improve the quality of health care for older people.

Lewis Macdonald: As part of the overall strategy to improve the quality of health care for older people, the Scottish Executive and NHSScotland are committed to supporting practice development for staff such as that provided by Caledonian Virtual Practice Development College. However, the college is a commercial enterprise and it is only one example of how this development can be provided. It would have to bid for funding to support its on-going work on a competitive basis alongside any other bidders or providers of such a service.

Radioactive Waste

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies are authorised to discharge radioactive waste into the sea.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for the independent regulator, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). SEPA has authorised 32 companies under the terms of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 to discharge radioactive waste to the sea.

Radioactive Waste

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the companies authorised to discharge radioactive waste into the sea and the sites where discharge takes place.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for the independent regulator, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, which has provided the information detailed in the following table.

  

 Company/Organisation
 Site
 Discharges To


 Scotoil Services Ltd
 Scotoil Services Ltd, Aberdeen
 Aberdeen Bay


 BP Exploration
 Andrew
 North Sea


 Bruce


 Harding


 ETAP CPF


 Foinavon


 Lomond


 Magnus


 Miller


 Everest North


 NW Hutton


 BP Schiehallion


 Unity Riser


 Clair


 Shell UK Ltd
 Anasuria
 North Sea


 Auk A


 Brent A


 Brent B


 Brent C


 Brent D


 Cormorant A


 Curlew


 Eider A


 Fulmar A


 Gannet A


 Nelson


 Cormorant North


 Shearwater A


 Dunlin A


 Tern


 CNR International
 Balmoral
 North Sea


 Murchison


 Ninian Central


 Ninian Northern


 Ninian Southern


 Tiffany


 Chevron UK Ltd
 Captain - FPSO
 North Sea


 Captain WPP


 Erskine


 Alba North


 Tartan


 Talisman Energy UK Ltd
 Buchan Alpha
 North Sea


 Claymore


 Clyde


 Beatrice A


 Galley FPSO


 Piper B


 Saltire


 Bleo Holm


 Mobile North Sea Ltd
 Beryl A
 North Sea


 Beryl B


 Apache North Sea Ltd
 Fortie Alpha
 North Sea


 Fortie Bravo


 Forties Charlie


 Forties Delta


 Forties Echo


 ConocoPhilips
 Judy
 North Sea


 Jade


 Marathon Oil UK Ltd
 Brae A
 North Sea


 Brae B


 Brae East


 Brae Central


 Total Exploration and Production
 Alwyn
 North Sea


 Dunbar


 Elgin


 Franklin


 Britannia Operator Ltd
 Britannia
 North Sea


 Maersk Contractors
 North Sea Producer
 North Sea


 Nexen Petroleum
 Scott
 North Sea


 Petrofac Facilities Management Ltd
 Montrose
 North Sea


 Arbroath


 Northern


 Kittiwake


 Heather


 Thistle


 BG Group
 Armada
 North Sea


 Bluewater Services (UK) Ltd
 Haewene Brim
 North Sea


 Usgie Gorm


 Well Ops (UK)
 The Seawell
 North Sea 


 Amerada Hess Ltd
 Triton
 North Sea


 PGS Production
 Ramform Banff
 North Sea


 UKAEA
 Dounreay
 Pentland Firth


 University of St Andrews
 Sea Mammal Research Unit
 Pentland Firth


 British Energy Generation Ltd
 Torness Power Station
 Firth of Forth


 Babcock Rosyth Ltd
 Rosyth Royal Dockyard Ltd
 Forth Estuary


 University of St Andrews
 University of St Andrews
 on or from Isle of May, Firth of Forth


 Magnox Electric Limited
 Chapelcross Works
Solway Firthat Seafield


 Magnox Electric Limited
 Hunterston A Power Station
Firth of Clydeat West Kilbride


 British Energy Generation Ltd
 Hunterston B Power Station
Firth of Clydeat West Kilbride


 University of London
 Marine Biology Station
 Firth of Clyde from Island of Cumbrae


 Scottish Association of Marine Science
 Scottish Association of Marine Science
 Dunstaffnage Bay, Dunbeg, near Oban


 University of Stirling
 Marine Biology Station at Machrihanish
 North Channel

Recycling

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are employed in recycling.

Ross Finnie: The information requested is not held centrally.

  There are a wide range of employment opportunities in recycling within local authorities, the private sector and community sector bodies. These include the collection, sorting, transportation, reprocessing and marketing of recyclable materials as well as the provision of infrastructure and delivering associated awareness and education programmes.

Rural Development

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria for the administration of Rural Service Priority Area grants were provided to local authorities when the grants were announced in 2005.

Ross Finnie: This funding has been allocated on the basis of £100,000 per Rural Service Priority Area and will reach the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) delivery agents through their relevant local authorities. It was for CPPs to decide how best to spend this money to meet local priorities, within the aims of the initiative and subject to measurable, targeted improvements being reached and standard accountability. Targets have now been agreed between the Scottish Executive and each of the eight CPPs involved. The Scottish Executive will monitor these on a six-monthly basis.

Scottish Water

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scottish Water regarding its operations in rural areas.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive has regular discussions with Scottish Water about various aspects of the business, including Scottish Water’s activities in rural areas generally.

Statistics

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to match the UK Government’s proposals to entrench statistical independence in legislation, introduce direct reporting and accountability to the Parliament, adhere to a statutory code of practice and ensure that funding and appointments to any governing board are not subject to ministerial control.

Mr Tom McCabe: As discussed in the Members Debate on 11 May, ministers have a strong commitment to the integrity of official statistics, are fully supportive of independent scrutiny against a clear set of standards and welcome interest from the Parliament in strengthening accountability. However, we do not consider that establishing independent production of statistics in Scotland is a necessary or beneficial step to take to deliver what is required here. We note the wide range of statistics, like crime and education, that are produced by statisticians in Scotland and which will remain within government in Whitehall Departments.

Taxation

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25017 by Mr Tom McCabe on 24 April 2006, what information it has on the net revenue from income tax raised in Scotland in each tax year since 1999-2000.

Mr Tom McCabe: Estimates of net revenue from income tax are included in the Scottish Executive publication Government Expenditure & Revenue in Scotland 2003-04 (Table 6.8). Data is available for each year between 1999-2000 and 2003-04. The methodology used to obtain these figures is also set out in this publication (appendix B).

  Receipts Components for Scotland, 1999-2000 to 2003-04.

  

Year
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


Income Tax (Excluding Tax Credits)


£ Million
6,570
7,360
7,670
7,880
8,340


Share of UK
7.0%
7.0%
7.1%
7.2%
7.3%

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote transport links between Scotland and the Faroe Islands and whether it will categorise any plans it has by mode of transport.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive’s Route Development Fund (RDF) is to provide funding for a new air service between Sumburgh and the Faroe Islands which will operate twice weekly from 23 June until 30 October 2006. This will link with direct connections to the Scottish mainland. There is an existing air service between the Faroe Islands and Aberdeen.

  The Smyril Line already operates a passenger and freight ferry service between the Faroes with Shetland, linking with NorthLink’s ferry services from Shetland to Kirkwall and Aberdeen.

Transport

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any research has been undertaken into the number of car journeys made in each of the last five years from Perth to Edinburgh via (a) the Forth Road Bridge and (b) Stirling and, if so, what the research revealed.

Tavish Scott: Neither the Scottish Executive nor Transport Scotland has carried out any research over the last five years into the number of car journeys made from Perth to Edinburgh via the Forth Road Bridge or Stirling.

Waste Management

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications for community waste groups are of the expectation that they will become social enterprises.

Ross Finnie: We do not expect that all community waste groups will become social enterprises. However, those that do will benefit from generating their own income rather than relying on grants. Community waste groups can derive income from a variety of sources including contracts and service level agreements with local authorities; charging businesses for the collection of materials; selling recyclate, and selling products made from reclaimed or re-used material.

Waste Management

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what help is available to community waste groups to assist their transition from voluntary bodies to community enterprises.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive funds the Community Recycling Network for Scotland (CRNS) to provide development support to community waste sector organisations. CRNS employ six Development Officers who provide advice and support to groups to help them move away from grant dependency and develop more sustainable, long-term income streams.

  The Executive’s INCREASE Programme for the community waste sector has allocated £5 million over 2006-07 and 2007-08 to develop the capacity of groups and assist this transition. A number of community sector bodies have also received Service Level Agreements from local authorities after authorities have received Strategic Waste Fund awards.

Waste Management

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many paid jobs there are in the community waste sector.

Ross Finnie: The Community Recycling Network for Scotland carried out a mapping study of the sector in autumn 2005. This showed that the sector employed 734 full-time equivalent staff.

Correction

The reply to questions S2W-25078, which was originally answered on 5 May 2006, has been corrected: see page 8078 or http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/pqa/wa-06/wa0523.htm.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Building

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when it will provide a notice explaining the history, significance and provenance of the Arniston Lintel stones from the original Scottish Parliament building which are now situated in the members’ lobby and whether it will ensure that the Parliament’s tour guides are aware of that information.

Duncan McNeil: The Arniston Stone is currently included and interpreted as part of the guided tours programme; information is also available on the Parliament’s website. There are a number of pieces within the building, such as the Arniston Stone and the Visitor Information Desk, that are interpreted in this way, rather than with standard artwork captions. The SPCB will look at whether to further interpret the Stone when considering initiatives such as a guide to the art collection and the content for further specialist tours, such as an art or architecture tour.

Holyrood Building

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the annual cost is of maintaining the lakes in front of the Parliament building.

Kenny MacAskill: Since the ponds have not been fully operational since occupation, we have not yet established an accurate annual maintenance cost. Maintenance requirements for the ponds are currently being reviewed and this will determine the annual cost.